Please join us on Friday, June 28th at 7pm in collaboration with the Festival of Forgotten Grapes, as we welcome Greg La Folette and Wes Hagen for a very special wine dinner we are calling "The Davids vs The Goliaths".

Enjoy a six-course, individually plated dinner featuring the Davids and the Goliaths of the wine industry (grape-wise), hosted by two industry icons.

This event is part of the first annual Festival of Forgotten Grapes, taking place Saturday, June 29th (www.festivalofforgottengrapes.com)

Who Are The Goliaths:
In California, 93% of the wine grapes planted consist of nine grapes. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Sirah, and Zinfandel. These are grapes we all know, and we love.

Who Are The Davids:
There are more than 100 grape varieties that make up the remaining 7% of plantings in California. These are not necessarily “unknown” grapes but rather “forgotten grapes” due to the limited availability.

Side note regarding single tickets: If you buy one ticket with the intention of sitting with someone else, please notate who you will be sitting with in your reservation.

All of the information is below along with the menu.

Just a reminder that we can always accommodate allergies and dietary restrictions!

(Ingredients on published menu are subject to change based on availability)

We hope to see you there!

Please join us on Saturday, December 16th at 7pm as we conclude our 2023 wine dinner season with the iconic Australian and trans-continental winery, Penfolds!

From medicinal health to dining pleasures, Dr. Christopher Penfold and Mary Penfold created one of the most celebrated wineries in Australia and the world!

Hello Everyone! Please join us on Friday, November 17th at 7pm as we host Bordeaux legends Florence and Daniel Cathiard with Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Grand Cru Classée Bordeaux. They will be introducing their newest Napa project and premiering its FIRST vintage from Cathiard Vineyard!!

Do not miss this opportunity to try not only one but TWO exceptional wineries with one of the wine world's most famous couple!!

Purchase Tickets Here:

https://www.exploretock.com/tesse/event/436291/chateau-smith-haut-lafitte-cathiard-vineyards

 Located in Santenay, in the Côte de Beaune, Domaine Jessiaume is in the heart of Burgundy. Thirty-seven acres of vines span from Beaune to Santenay including Pommard, Volnay, Auxey-Duresses and Chassey Le Camp.

 Between 2006 and 2020, the Domaine is owned by a Scottish businessman, Sir David Murray. After generations of Jessiaume making the wines, a new team has arrived in 2014 and the Domaine changed its direction. The wines are hand crafted with minimal intervention. In order to do that, new investments in equipment and renovating the winery took place immediately. Harvest and sorting are done by hand. Small elevators are used to fill the tanks. Vinifications are done with natural yeasts and the extractions are gentle and controlled. The goal is to obtain elegant and fine wines which respect the terroir.

Hello Everyone! Please join us on Thursday, October 19th at 7pm for a night with Cleo Pahlmeyer, as she grabs the baton for the iconic Pahlmeyer family with Wayfarer..their newest project, moving from Napa to Sonoma! Wayfarer wines are an oasis in a remote landscape of redwood forests and quickly becoming "the La Tache of California!" Wayfarer Pinot Noirs and Chardonnay hail from this single estate vineyard in Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma Coast’s most dramatic appellation.

Hello Everyone! Please join us on Friday, October 13th at 7pm as we welcome back Kris Beverly with Civilization Wine Co.!! Since his first harvest in 2009, Kris has been blessed to work with several renowned Santa Barbara County winemakers. After years of learning techniques from each he started his own winery, Civilization Wine Company. With a focus on Burgundy and Rhone varietals, he crafts old-world style wines that are designed to be shared with friends over a meal while enabling long term cellaring with their style and structure.

Please join us on Thursday, September 21st at 7pm as we finally host one of Jordan's favorite wineries, Alto Moncayo! Located in the area covered by the Campo de Borja DO. It was founded in 2002 with the aim of turning it into a world reference for Garnacha wines of the highest quality, prepared from native vine clones.Chef Raphael has put together a great menu to pair with these incredible wines!

The winery was founded in 2002 using some of the oldest vines in the area. Currently, it produces wine from 92 hectares of native mountain strains of Garnacha, planted decades ago on the slopes of the Moncayo foothills in unique red clay soil mixed with slate. There is little organic matter in the soil, and it is not very deep. The vines are grown in bushes of native clones oriented towards the southwest. The winery is located in Borja, the heart of the Campo de Borja DO area. It sells its wines under three brands: ‘Aquilon’, ‘Alto Moncayo’, and ‘Veraton’.

Andy Abramson, Tesse colleague, Comunicano Wine Company winemaker and Grenache Ambassador, and our own, Jordan Ogron, will curate a journey of Grenache based wines from all over the world!

Hello Everyone!  Please join us on Thursday, September 14th at 7pm to partake in a once in a lifetime tasting with Arthur Lincquesaing from Marqués de Murrieta! Explore the winery that was instrumental in shaping Rioja, putting it on the map as one of the best winemaking regions in the world. With incredible aging capacities, Rioja wines are not to be missed!

Now is your chance to experience the longevity Rioja wines have to offer. Being one of Jordan's favorite wineries and regions, we will be pulling these special vintages (‘84,’86, and ‘88) from our Boutellier cellar. 

Hello Everyone! Our FINAL Summer Wine Dinner is Here!! Please join us on Friday, August 11th at 7pm to enjoy the many gorgeous and fresh, organic wines from Georgia by winemaker, Adrien Rodriguez representing,

 Jos! Wines

 Supporting organic and biodynamic practices in viticulture, their philosophy is based on the notion that great wines start from great soils:

 Dry farming 

Careful Harvesting Practices 

No Added Sulfates 

No Filtration 

Resulting in wines that express their purest form, as Nature intended it!

Hello Everyone!!!! Please join us on Wednesday, August 2nd at 7pm as we welcome winemakers and California legends, Bob and Louisa Lindquist!

 40 Years of Accolades:

 "Winemaker of the Year 2022" - San Luis County

 One of the World's 50 Most Influential Winemakers - Wine & Spirits Magazine

 FIRST Winery in Santa Barbara County to make Syrah (1982)

 FIRST Winery in Santa Barbara County to make a Red Rhône Style Blend (1988)

 First Winery in California to make Marsanne (1987)

 Join us on Wednesday, July 26th at 7PM for a night with winemaker and Rhône warrior, Doug Margerum, and the winery that has pioneered the rise of Rhône styled wines and varietals in California,

Margerum Wine Company

 Join us on Saturday,  July 22nd at 7PM for an immersive introduction of the Ventoux taught by winemaker, wine savant and long-time Ventoux fanatic and resident, James Wood. He will be showcasing an array of wineries, including...

Chateau Unang

Clos du Trias

Domaine via Caritatis

Chene Bleu

Grenache Rocks 

 Prepare to Mingle, Dine & Learn!!

11 Wines, Hors D'oeuvres AND Dinner

This will be a one of a kind educational wine dinner!! The evening will start with hors d'oeuvres, where a few of the wineries representatives will pour samples for guests at designated tables.  Then everyone will be seated to enjoy a filling 2-course meal, curated by Chef Raphael, to pair with two starring wines of the evening. James will also speak more in depth on the Ventoux region.

 It will all be taking place on our gorgeous outdoor patio. (Finally, we can enjoy our spectacular views of LA on a cool summer night!!) 

Join us on Friday, July 21st at 7PM for an iconic night at Tesse as we welcome back Nicole Sierra-Rolet, Principal, Co-Founder and CEO of
Chêne Bleu!!
Do not miss this dinner where we will be pouring some of the very best and most highly regarded wines from the Rhone Valley, which are also certified Organic, Bee Friendly and Sustainably Produced❤️🌍.   

The reviews speak for themselves:
"The World's First Super Rhone"
- Wall Street Journal

"Birth of a Grand Cru"
-Michael Bettane

"The wines are exceptional"

-Decanter

 Join us on Saturday,  July 15th at 7PM to showcase the distinctive wines of Argot

Argot \ ˈärgō \ : a shared language, borne from intimacy,
associated with tight-knit groups brought together by a common interest

Winemaker and Founder Justin Harmon grew up in Chicago with no ties to the world of wine. After studying chemical engineering at university, and subsequently developing a passion for wine, Justin’s fascination with the art of winemaking led to a brief California excursion to work in the cellar during 2005’s harvest. The hook was set. Later Sonoma internships the following two harvests culminated in the founding of Argot. Alongside wife Elizabeth, Argot continues to produce artisanal wines that live up to argot; celebrating the symmetry that wine and communication hold, drawing friends and family together. With dozens of 95+ point scores from the industry's most talented critics, Argot's small-production wines are not to be missed. 

 Join us on Thursday,  June 29th at 7PM for a night of the most elegant wines of Russian River Valley by Hibou!

Hibou /ee-boo/, French for “owl,” felt a fitting name for the winemaking pursuit. Patient and watchful, they are fixtures in the Russian River Valley landscape that they so dearly love.

We are excited to announce our next Bubbles & Brunch with Bellenda Winery! Please join us on Sunday, June 4th at 12PM  and enjoy some of Italy's best sparkling wines, a delicious meal with your choice of entree and our oak pancakes and french toast!

Walson Holland is a small family winery that crafts thoughtful and meticulous wines with attention to detail and highest quality in every step of the journey from vineyard to bottle. We are proud to work with farmers throughout California’s Central Coast that embody this commitment, and in turn, allow us to make noteworthy wines. The wines are produced by Benjamin Holland, who honed his craft at some of California and New Zealand’s most iconic wineries, including Kosta Browne, Amisfield and Sine Qua Non.

Please join us on Wednesday, May 10th at 7pm as we welcome winemaker Etienne Terlinden and taste the incredible wines from CORDON.

 Etienne was so inspired by the viticultural areas of Santa Barbara County that in 2001 he started his own label, Cordon Wine (named to honor the vine - the cordon, or the “arms” of the grapevine, extend from the trunk and are the part where additional arms and eventually leaves and grape clusters extend from). Etienne’s goal with Cordon Wine was, and still is, to create exceptional wines that honor tradition, that are made with modern state-of-the-art techniques, that have certain ‘Old World’ sensibility (to honor his roots), and that have a true sense of place and character.

Certain grapes to better than others in specific Santa Barbara County AVA’s, and that has become Etienne’s focus with Cordon Wine - to appropriately express the microclimates and terroirs of the various appelations.

Celebrate your Cinco de Mayo right with Tesse's FIRST Tequila dinner!!

Friday, May 5th at 7PM with Ria Soler from Komos!

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Tequila Komos is the category redefining line of ultra-luxury tequilas available in three expressions: Añejo Cristalino, Reposado Rosa, and Extra Añejo.

Tasting Panel Magazine rated Komos the highest-rated tequila portfolio ever, including the first and only 100-point score ever.

What Makes Komos So Unique...

Komos starts by making a base using agave from the highlands and lowlands of Tequila, roast them in the traditional volcanic stone oven, fermenting the juice with native yeast and then double distilling in pot stills.

(Their NOM and distillery partner is Orendain, in Jalisco, Tequila, one of the four founding families of Tequila!)

They use some of the very best French oak wine barrels which have been once or twice used by wineries in appellations such as Napa and Sonoma Valley. The Extra Añejo is aged in a combination of American whiskey barrels and French oak white-wine barrels.

The final touch before bottling is to rest and aerate our tequila, further softening and rounding the palate while imparting a slight impression of sweetness.

Join us for a very special wine dinner,

with Nick Harbour from Maison Harbour,

Friday, April 28th at 7PM

A Love for Burgundy...

Colleen was born in Canada but lived most of her life in the tiny country of Luxembourg. Nicholas lived in Sweden for several years, moved to Luxembourg, back to the United States and then settled back in Luxembourg.

They met in Luxembourg in the early 2000s during their high school years. They soon fell in love and eventually moved back to Luxembourg in 2008 where they worked in the financial industry for several years.

In 2012, they made the decision to pursue our dream of making wine in France and moved to Savigny-lès-Beaune, a village in the heart of the Côte-d’Or.

On arrival in Burgundy we attended the wine school in Beaune. Nicholas studied the technical aspects of winemaking and Colleen studied the commercial side of wine. Before graduating they had already established their winery, a small négociant vinificateur, which they called, Maison Harbour.

Nicholas and Colleen Harbour love wine! So much so that in 2012 they decided to quit their jobs, move to France and follow our passion for wine by starting a winery.

Kaena is a boutique winery that sources from Tierra Alta Vineyard, La Presa Vineyard, and Larner Vineyard in the Ballard Canyon AVA , primarily.   

Mikael who is part Hawaiian and raised on the Oahu shores, uses a shortened version of his given name for the brand – Kaena – which means “potential for greatness”.  

In 2006 Wine Spectator named Mikael one of the top 10 new Rhone  producers.  Known affectionately by his peers and fans as The Grenache King Mikael credits his success, growth and nickname to his passion for making truly handcrafted wines.   

While wine was not an integral part of his childhood in Hawaii, the paradise of flavors, colors and aromas that he was surrounded by prepared his palate to understand the delicate nuances in fragrance and taste. This overwhelming sensory experience was enhanced by his great-grandmother, Tutu, who raised him.  He’d spend hours by her side watching her patiently layer ingredients in every meal, gently coaxing the best flavors to shine through. Through her work, she taught me to nurture and respect the tremendous gifts we are given.  Never at a loss for words, she called me “Ka’ena’ai” – meaning “potential for greatness.”

Ehlers Estate, Napa

A long, reputable history in Napa Valley and one of philanthropy

 French entrepreneurs and philanthropists Jean and Sylviane Leducq saw the potential for St. Helena to produce wines with the power, balance and structure of the finest Bordeaux bottlings they knew and loved.  Over several decades they patiently built a contiguous wine estate – common for French chateaux but increasingly rare in California.

 In 1996, founders, Jean and Sylviane established the Leducq Foundation, an international grant making organization to support research in cardiovascular disease and stroke. Their work continues through the efforts of the Foundation’s leadership, Mr. Martin Landaluce and Dr. David Tancredi. It is now owned by the non-profit.

Where Napa and Spain Meet: In 2018, Laura Diaz Munoz was brought on as Winemaker and General Manager. Educated in Madrid and trained in various wine regions around the world, Laura ultimately landed in Napa Valley where she has been making wine for over ten years. Laura combines a delicate  Old World style with the powerful, lush New World fruits of California.

A leading Napa Winery, Hundred Acre is known for its fine single estate vineyard wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon.

Robert Parker described Jayson [winemaker] as, 

“One of California’s (perhaps the world’s) most flamboyant, talented, contrarian wine producers.”

In only 20 years, the self-taught vintner has produced many exceptional wines, 22 of which have scored a perfect 100 from Robert Parker.

Fun Fact: The name of the winery is taken from the “Hundred Acre Wood,” the home of Winnie the Pooh and his friends! 

 *Hundred Acre's own "Port" will be poured at this dinner. It is only offered to wine club members and, along with most of their bottles, can go for upwards of $1,000 per bottle! Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to taste such an iconic lineup.

With the launch of the Boutellier Wine Tastings, we want to give you the opportunity to meet our favorite wineries' winemakers, while enjoying a flight of their wines with light pairings.

Join us with winemaker, Kris Beverly, from Civilization winery!

Civilization: "a society, its culture, and its way of life during a particular period of time or in a particular part of the world"

-Oxford Learner’s Dictionary

The cultivation of the grapevine and its vinification has grown and developed with the rise of civilizations. Modern winemaking now employs the natural science of fermentation with the lessons we have learned from our mentors over the centuries. The creation of geographic designations and the concept of terroir descend directly from these lessons. At Civilization we are honored to be a part of history.